sally dows-第12节

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shocked　at　the　young　man's　utterance　of　them。　　He　had　scrupulously
respected　the　wishes　of　Miss　Sally　and　had　faithfullyalthough
never　hopelesslyheld　back　any　expression　of　his　own　love　since
their　conversation　in　the　cemetery。　　But　while　his　native
truthfulness　and　sense　of　honor　had　overlooked　the　seeming
insincerity　of　her　attitude　towards　Champney；　he　had　never
justified　his　own　tacit　participation　in　it；　and　the　concealment　of
his　own　pretensions　before　his　possible　rival。　　It　was　true　that
she　had　forbidden　him　to　openly　enter　the　lists　with　her　admirers；
but　Champney's　innocent　assumption　of　his　indifference　to　her　and
his　consequent　half　confidences　added　poignancy　to　his　story。
There　seemed　to　be　only　one　way　to　extricate　himself；　and　that　was
by　a　quarrel。　　Whether　he　did　or　did　not　believe　Champney's　story；
whether　it　was　only　the　jealous　exaggeration　of　a　rival；　or　Miss
Sally　was　actually　deceiving　them　both；　his　position　had　become
intolerable。

〃I　must　remind　you；　Champney；〃　he　said；　with　freezing　deliberation；
〃that　Miss　Miranda　Dows　and　her　niece　now　represent　the　Drummond
Company　equally　with　myself；　and　that　you　cannot　expect　me　to
listen　to　any　reflections　upon　the　way　they　choose　to　administer
their　part　in　its　affairs；　either　now；　or　to　come。　　Still　less　do　I
care　to　discuss　the　idle　gossip　which　can　affect　only　the　PRIVATE
interests　of　these　ladies；　with　which　neither　you　nor　I　have　any
right　to　interfere。〃

But　the　naivete　of　the　young　Englishman　was　as　invincible　as　Miss
Sally's　own；　and　as　fatal　to　Courtland's　attitude。　　〃Of　course　I
haven't　any　RIGHT；　you　know；〃　he　said；　calmly　ignoring　the　severe
preamble　of　his　companion's　speech；　〃but　I　say！　hang　it　all！　even
if　a　fellow　has　no　chance　HIMSELF；　he　don't　like　to　see　a　girl
throw　herself　and　her　property　away　on　a　man　like　that。〃

〃One　moment；　Champney；〃　said　Courtland；　under　the　infection　of　his
guest's　simplicity；　abandoning　his　former　superior　attitude。　　〃You
say　you　have　no　chance。　　Do　you　want　me　to　understand　that　you　are
regularly　a　suitor　of　Miss　Dows？〃

〃Y…e…e…s；〃　said　the　young　fellow；　but　with　the　hesitation　of
conscientiousness　rather　than　evasion。　　〃That　isyou　know　I　WAS。
But　don't　you　see；　it　couldn't　be。　　It　wouldn't　do；　you　know。　　If
those　clannish　neighbors　of　hersthat　Southern　setsuspected　that
Miss　Sally　was　courted　by　an　Englishman；　don't　you　knowa　poacher
on　their　preservesit　would　be　all　up　with　her　position　on　the
property　and　her　influence　over　them。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you
that's　one　reason　why　I　left　the　company　and　took　that　other
plantation。　　But　even　that　didn't　work；　they　had　their　suspicions
excited　already。〃

〃Did　Miss　Dows　give　that　as　a　reason　for　declining　your　suit？〃
asked　Courtland　slowly。

〃Yes。　　You　know　what　a　straightforward　girl　she　is。　　She　didn't
come　no　rot　about　'not　expecting　anything　of　the　kind；'　or　about
'being　a　sister　to　me；'　and　all　that；　for；　by　Jove！　she's　always
more　like　a　fellow's　sister；　don't　you　know；　than　his　girl。　　Of
course；　it　was　hard　lines　for　me；　but　I　suppose　she　was　about
right。〃　　He　stopped；　and　then　added　with　a　kind　of　gentle
persistency：　〃YOU　think　she　was　about　right；　don't　you？〃

With　what　was　passing　in　Courtland's　mind　the　question　seemed　so
bitterly　ironical　that　at　first　he　leaned　half　angrily　forward；　in
an　unconscious　attempt　to　catch　the　speaker's　expression　in　the
darkness。　　〃I　should　hardly　venture　to　give　an　opinion；〃　he　said；
after　a　pause。　　〃Miss　Dows'　relations　with　her　neighbors　are　so
very　peculiar。　　And　from　what　you　tell　me　of　her　cousin　it　would
seem　that　her　desire　to　placate　them　is　not　always　to　be　depended
upon。〃

〃I'm　not　finding　fault　with　HER；　you　know；〃　said　Champney　hastily。
〃I'm　not　such　a　beastly　cad　as　that；　I　wouldn't　have　spoken　of　my
affairs　at　all；　but　you　asked；　you　know。　　I　only　thought；　if　she
was　going　to　get　herself　into　trouble　on　account　of　that　Frenchman；
you　might　talk　to　hershe'd　listen　to　you；　because　she'd　know　you
only　did　it　out　of　business　reasons。　　And　they're　really　business
reasons；　you　know。　　I　suppose　you　don't　think　much　of　my　business
capacity；　colonel；　and　you　wouldn't　go　much　on　my　judgment
especially　now；　but　I've　been　here　longer　than　you　and〃he　lowered
his　voice　slightly　and　dragged　his　chair　nearer　Courtland〃I　don't
like　the　looks　of　things　here。　　There's　some　devilment　plotting
among　those　rascals。　　They're　only　awaiting　an　opportunity；　a
single　flash　would　be　enough　to　set　them　in　a　blaze；　even　if　the
fire　wasn't　lit　and　smouldering　already　like　a　spark　in　a　bale　of
cotton。　　I'd　cut　the　whole　thing　and　clear　out　if　I　didn't　think　it
would　make　it　harder　for　Miss　Dows；　who　would　be　left　alone。〃

〃You're　a　good　fellow；　Champney；〃　said　Courtland；　laying　his　hand
on　the　young　man's　shoulder　with　a　sudden　impulse；　〃and　I　forgive
you　for　overlooking　any　concern　that　I　might　have。　　Indeed；〃　he
added；　with　an　odd　seriousness　and　a　half　sigh；　〃it's　not　strange
that　you　should。　　But　I　must　remind　you　that　the　Dowses　are
strictly　the　agents　and　tenants　of　the　company　I　represent；　and
that　their　rights　and　property　under　that　tenancy　shall　not　be
interfered　with　by　others　as　long　as　I　am　here。　　I　have　no　right；
however；〃　he　added　gravely；　〃to　keep　Miss　Dows　from　imperiling　them
by　her　social　relations。〃

Champney　rose　and　shook　hands　with　him　awkwardly。　　〃The　shower
seems　to　be　holding　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　toddle　along　before　it
starts　afresh。　　Good…night！　　I　sayyou　didn't　mind　my　coming　to
you　this　way；　did　you？　　By　Jove！　I　thought　you　were　a　little　stand…
offish　at　first。　　But　you　know　what　I　meant？〃

〃Perfectly；　and　I　thank　you。〃　　They　shook　hands　again。　　Champney
stepped　from　the　portico；　and；　reaching　the　gate；　seemed　to　vanish
as　he　had　come；　out　of　the　darkness。

The　storm　was　not　yet　over；　the　air　had　again　become　close　and
suffocating。　　Courtland　remained　brooding　in　his　chair。　　Whether　he
could　accept　Champney's　news　as　true　or　not；　he　felt　that　he　must
end　this　suspense　at　once。　　A　half…guilty　consciousness　that　he　was
thinking　more　of　it　in　reference　to　his　own　passion　than　his　duty
to　the　company　did　not　render　his　meditations　less　unpleasant。　　Yet
while　he　could　not　reconcile　Miss　Sally's　confidences　in　the
cemetery　concerning　the　indifference　of　her　people　to　Champney's
attentions　with　what　Champney　had　just　told　him　of　the　reasons　she
had　given　HIM　for　declining　them；　I　am　afraid　he　was　not　shocked　by
her　peculiar　ethics。　　A　lover　seldom　finds　fault　with　his　mistress
for　deceiving　his　rival；　and　is　as　little　apt　to　consider　the
logical　deduction　that　she　could　deceive　him　also；　as　Othello　was
to　accept　Brabantio's　warning；　The　masculine　sense　of　honor　which
might　have　resented　the　friendship　of　a　man　capable　of　such
treachery　did　not　hesitate　to　accept　the　love　of　a　woman　under　the
same　conditions。　　Perhaps　there　was　an　implied　compliment　in　thus
allowing　her　to　take　the　sole　ethical　responsibility；　which　few
women　would　resist。

In　the　midst　of　this　gloomy　abstraction　Courtland　suddenly　raised
his　head　and　listened。

〃Cato。〃

〃Yes；　sah。〃

There　was　a　sound　of　heavy　footsteps　in　the　hall　coming　from　the
rear　of　the　house；　and　presently　a　darker　bulk　appeared　in　the
shadowed　doorway。　　It　was　his　principal　overseera　strong　and
superior　negro；　selected　by　his　fellow…freedmen　from　among　their
number　in　accordance　with　Courtland's　new　regime。

〃Did　you　come　here　from　the　plantation　or　the　town？〃

〃The　town；　sah。〃

〃I　think　you　had　better　keep　out　of　the　town　in　the　evenings　for
the　present；〃　said　Courtland　in　a　tone　of　quiet　but　positive
authority。

〃Are　dey　goin'　to　bring　back　de　ole　'patter　rollers；'*　sah？〃　asked
the　man　with　a　slight　sneer。


*　The　〃patrol〃　or　local　police　who　formerly　had　the　surveillance　of
slaves。


〃I　don't　know；〃　returned　Courtland　calmly；　ignoring　his　overseer's
manner。　　〃But　if　they　did　you　must　comply　with　the　local　regulations
unless　they　conflict　with　the　Federal　laws；　when　you　must　appeal　to
the　Federal　authorities。　　I　prefer　you　should　avoid　any　trouble
until　you　are　sure。〃

〃I　reckon　they　won't　try　any　games　on　me；〃　said　the　negro　with　a
short　laugh。

Courtland　looked　at　him　intently。

〃I　thought　as　much！　　You're　carrying　arms；　Cato！　　Hand　them　over。〃

The　overseer　hesitated　for　a　moment；　and　then　unstrapped　a　revolver
from　his　belt；　and　handed　it　to　Courtland。

〃Now　how　many　of　you　are　in　the　habit　of　going　round　the　town　armed
like　this？〃

〃Only　de　men　who've　been　insulted；　sah。〃

〃And　how　have　YOU　been　insulted？〃

〃Marse　Tom　Highee　down　in　de　market　reckoned　it　was　high　time　fancy
niggers　was　drov　into　de　swamp；　and　I　allowed　that　loafers　and
beggars　had　better　roost　high　when　workin'　folks　was　around；　and
Marse　Tom　said　he'd　cut　my　haht　out。〃

〃And　do　you　think　your　carrying　a　revolver　will　prevent　him　and　his
friends　performing　that　operation　if　you　provoked　them？〃

〃You　said　we　was　to　pertect　ourse'fs；　sah；〃　returned　the　negro
gloomily。　　〃What　foh　den　did　you　drill　us　to　use　dem　rifles　in　de
armory？〃

〃To　defend　yourselves　TOGETHER　under　orders　if　attacked；　not　to
singly　threaten　with　them　in　a